Tag Archives: russia

The “Ruskies” entered Georgia and now they’re ripping off SNL. A new Cold War begins! All kidding aside, I thought this was pretty interesting. This is a plagiarization of the SNL skit “Japanese Game Show” which starred Mike Myers, Chris Farley, Janeane Garafalo, and Alec Baldwin from December 1994. I always liked it a lot and thought it was pretty unusual for SNL to have a clip in a mostly foreign language. The Russian skit is less energetic and the guy playing the far left contestant annoys me. They’re subtle differences though, like at the end, instead of attaching the cables to the Tourist’s testicles, they attach it to his nipples. Something the same, was the sound effect used to end the last round of play. It sounds like they could of ripped the sound directly from the SNL clip itself, because it doesn’t quite fit in with the scene. Anyway, I linked to the SNL clip first so you can compare the skits yourself.

Basically, this article mentions that, when it comes to the Olympics medal count, the US ranks countries in order of total medals won while China and most of the rest of the world rank countries by how many GOLD MEDALS they’ve earned. The article then mentions that, due to their disparate ranking methods, the US and China will both probably claim victory at the Gamez.

There’s one big problem with this criteria that the article typically fails to mention: the ONLY OFFICIAL FUCKING MEDAL COUNT IS THE GOLD MEDAL COUNT. This is the only fucking ranking criteria the IOC uses or has ever used. In other words, we’ve decided to play by our own rules. So we can call ourselves the winner but we’ll be the only ones that do.

Here’s my awesome analogy: In Major League Baseball, wins is the only stat that will get you into the playoffs. So imagine if the Cubs get 100 wins and get into the playoffs but meanwhile the Cardinals won 99 games but scored more total runs, missing out on the playoffs, but then hold a victory parade declaring themselves champions because they scored more total runs during the season.

Awful analogies aside, I hate the medal count, especially because it encourages dumbass big powers like USA, China and Russia to invest in sports that their countries don’t give a flying fuck about to begin with just so they can steal a few more medals.

The medal count is really stupid. First off, it’s mostly about big powers like China, USA and Russia showing off. But what’s really dumb is how every medal has the same weight. What I mean is, why is the Gold Medal that Mr. Swimmer gets for making it through a few heats and then winning the final worth the same in the medal count as the Gold Medal that Mrs. Softball Team will get for winning the whole fucking softball tournament? It’s dumb!

At the last Olympics, Argentina got Gold in both men’s soccer AND basketball. That should have been worth a LOT in the medal count. Instead, just worth 2 medals. Dumb. ANd then USA and China won a bunch of individual medals in diving and track and the like and showed off big-time.

1. Britain and Russia: All is still not well: In 2006, Russian Alexander Litvinenko, a “fierce critic of former Russian President Vladimir Putin,” was poisoned by an assumed state-sanctioned hitman while living in a self-imposed exile in the UK. This article mostly deals with whether the UK will formally accuse Russia of this and similar actions. I understand these are very strong accusations for a country to make, but it appears many prominent British figures believe it to be the truth, so I think that waiting on the accusation only slows progression and gives the impression that this is okay or, at least, that people can get away with such actions. Further reading: Obituary: Alexander Litvinenko.

3. Six Burned Bodies in Mexico: Three Mexican drug lords are fighting for prime smuggling routes to the US. This leads to increased fighting and is an example as to why I think marijuana should be legalized.

5. More time to quiz murder suspect: It’s always interesting to see what murder cases become mainstream media, though, I’m not sure if papers outside of the UK and France are reporting on this case regularly. The case: two students were stabbed a total of 240 times and then set on fire in one of the students’ apartment. There have been no arrests, but this article states a burn victim that was recently treated is a suspect. Police have also not realeased why these two were targeted for such brutalities. I suspect a hate crime combined with insanity, clinically or drug-induced, or just insanity.

If you don’t want to read the whole article, it’s conservative wacko predicting that Israel will attack Iran between our autumn elections and the inauguration. This is all based on recent developments that indeed do seem to suggest something might go down soon (Israeli long-range test runs and recent comments by leaders). I have to admit, there is a strange part of me that is separated from it all that finds the whole thing exciting. A real, goshdarned war between 2 modern militaries! This sort of thing is very rare post-World War II. Most wars of the last 50 years have been waged by a modern military on one side and a very clever, determined but but less powerful (on paper) enemy on the other side. Examples are the current Iraq war, Vietnam War, Soviet/Afghani war.

Anyway, back when the 9/11 attacks occurred I wrote in a journal or something about how it could turn into World War III. Not that it will but just how it could happen. Well, I think it could possibly happen if Israel attacks Iran. It could EASILY happen if Iran were to attack Israel. Anyway, here’s a potential scenario.

Israel attacks Iran in a preemptively defensive act of aggression. Iran would definitely not stand for it and a war would commence. We would certainly enter to defend Israel and Britain would likely do so as well. It could stop there (and perhaps probably would). Contrary to public opinion, Iran is NOT an Arab nation (it’s Persian). It has a majority Shiite population and it’s decisions are unpopular. As a result, the Arab nations wouldn’t go nuts to help out but Syria probably would. So it’s Israel, US, UK vs Iran, Syria. If Iran could somehow turn the whole thing into a Muslim rallying point all hell could break loose. Even if the other Muslim nations don’t join in, rioting and civil strife could easily be instigated in most of these countries.

Basically, all that’s required is for Pakistan to get involved. If they could somehow be persuaded to act or join Iran, in spite of the fact that Pakistan is now our “friend”, a real can of worms is opened. Pakistan’s mortal enemy, India, would likely join on our side. Now neighboring Muslim countries like Bangladesh and Indonesia could answer the cry. Is Australia, part-time enemies of Indonesia, then induced to join our side?

China has been a long-time enemy of India’s engaging them in several border battles. Naturally, the Chinese also hate us. Do they sieze the opportunity to take the land that they believe is theirs? Are we then compelled to aid India? And does China take advantage of the chaos to invade Taiwan? Or finally pay back Japan for WWII?

And what does Russia do?! They act like they’re pals with China now but they’re traditionally enemies (even in the communist days). But they hate us much more.

today, while slowly driving through rush hour traffic, 1905 came on the old shuffle. this happens every so often, and when it does, it reminds me how much i really like these guys. they are, by far, the most positive punk rock band i’ve ever heard. all their songs ooze with passion, honesty, and sincerity, and you can tell that they are playing music for all the right reasons.

i really don’t know much about 1905, other than they’re from washington d.c., they formed in 2000, released an album in 2003 on exotic fever and “Amor y Lucha”, and that they love freedom.

they are a ‘punk band’, but definitely don’t fit into the standard ‘punk rock’ mold. the album, “Voice” has more than one instrumental track, more than one acoustic track, and even a spoken word track. don’t worry, though, there’s plenty of screaming, gritty guitars, sloppy performances, and raw energy.

another thing is that there really aren’t any songs that are “just a good song”. it feels like every song truely means something to them, that they are trying their hardest to speak to anyone who is willing to listen. and unlike many musicians that are trying to say something, the sociopolitical lyrics come across more as introspective and candid, rather than preachy or xeroxed. example:

Just because i can’t change everything,
doesn’t mean i can’t change anything.
Dance on the ashes of what was and fall head first in what could be.
Beyond the barricade…is there a world you long to see?
To envision a world without chains but recognize that we,
as individuals, can only chip away at the links.
One at a time, day by day.
To have the ability to wage quiet wars in our everyday lives,
and recognize the subtle victories when they happen….
An opinion changed by something you said.
A lifestyle adjusted by what you suggested.
A brighter path taken with directions you gave.
A world revealed by what you did.
One brick today is one less for tomorrow

i saw these kids play in des moines FOREVER ago. if i remember right, it was at the fallout shelter? ah, the good old days…

oh! and i’m assuming the band name refers to the russian revolution of 1905, but i could be completely wrong. (if anybody knows, please leave a comment.)

i really wish i knew more about these people, because then i could actually write something other than “this band is cool!”, but… i don’t, so… hopefully the music will speak for itself…